Monday

Beware of Fake Auctions and Recruitment - Nigerian Customs Alert General Public

In a public warning to Nigerians in Lagos on Monday, Godwin
Andishu, the Public Relations Officer, Tin Can Island Port 2 Customs
Command in Ijora, disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service is warning
the public against falling to the antics of fraudsters who post fake
auction advertisements purportedly by the service in the social media.

According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he said the warning
became imperative because of the increasing complaints by Nigerians who
had been duped by some unscrupulous elements through such
advertisements.

Andishu explained that it was not the practice of customs to place
auction advertisements of abandoned vehicles in its custody in the
social media, urging the public to disregard such posts in their own
interest.

“We wish to tell the general public that those advertisements
on social media purportedly by us calling for people to send money to
purchase abandoned vehicles in our custody are misleading.

“We do not auction or sell vehicles online; those who are
posing as customs officers are fraudsters who are out to defraud
Nigerians of their hard-earned money.

“Nigerians should disregard such advertisements as the service
only advertises items to be auctioned on its official website, detailing
the procedures to follow by members of the public.

“The NSC does not operate any private account and no personnel
of the service are authorized to collect money on its behalf into any
account.

“The fraudsters are all over the place using the name of the
customs to perpetrate their nefarious acts. People should act wisely by
ignoring them,“ he said.

Andishu said the service had not had any auction since August 2015
on the directive of the Comptroller-General, Col. Hammed Ali, adding
that the forensic unit of the service had been consistently tasked to
fish out these dishonest elements and make them face the wrath of the
law.

The spokesman said the unit had recently arrested 12 of such
fraudsters and they were being investigated for appropriate actions.

Andishu also warned job seekers against falling to the antics of
those who asked them for money for recruitment into the service, saying
the service had no recruitment agent.

“We are a responsible organisation; we do not ask for money for employment,“ he said.